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13 Minutes
by
I don't remember how I ended up in the icy water but I do know this: it wasn't an accident.
They say you should keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but sometimes it's hard to tell them apart. My friends love me. I know they do.
But that doesn't mean they didn't try to kill me.
13 Minutes is a gripping murder mystery about people, fears, manipulation and the power ...more
They say you should keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but sometimes it's hard to tell them apart. My friends love me. I know they do.
But that doesn't mean they didn't try to kill me.
13 Minutes is a gripping murder mystery about people, fears, manipulation and the power ...more
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Paperback, 404 pages
Published
July 14th 2016
by Gollancz
(first published February 18th 2016)
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Start your review of 13 Minutes

Oct 01, 2015
Liz Barnsley
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
bloody-marvellous,
received-via-netgalley
13 minutes is a brilliantly constructed YA crime novel – and psychological thriller- that has some incredibly fascinating characters, that magical Sarah Pinborough touch when it comes to getting all up inside your head and is also as addictive as chocolate. More. More addictive than chocolate.
Tasha is pulled from the water and revived – she can’t remember why or how she ended up there but is starting to distrust her closest friendships. She turns to her ex best friend Becca to help her discover ...more
Tasha is pulled from the water and revived – she can’t remember why or how she ended up there but is starting to distrust her closest friendships. She turns to her ex best friend Becca to help her discover ...more

I’m going to have to stay away from ‘mean girl’ type books I think. At least for now anyway.
I can’t remember the last time I was this indifferent to absolutely every single character in a book like I was here.
There were a lot of words on pages yet characters still pretty much one dimensional for me. The second half got bit better but nothing can save the repetitiveness of the middle.
Quite a letdown I would say. Especially considering how beautiful that cover is.
rating: ★½
I can’t remember the last time I was this indifferent to absolutely every single character in a book like I was here.
There were a lot of words on pages yet characters still pretty much one dimensional for me. The second half got bit better but nothing can save the repetitiveness of the middle.
Quite a letdown I would say. Especially considering how beautiful that cover is.
rating: ★½

Sarah Pinborough REALLY caught my attention with Behind Her Eyes (because, you know, #wtfthatending), and I was wondering if it was a one time deal, but after reading this book I actually want to go catch up on her entire back catalog of books. Yes, it was that good.
This YA story relies heavily on today’s use of social media and technology in bullying. I am both at once thankful that I grew up during a time when this didn’t exist yet, yet also extremely frightened for my children. I have read a ...more
This YA story relies heavily on today’s use of social media and technology in bullying. I am both at once thankful that I grew up during a time when this didn’t exist yet, yet also extremely frightened for my children. I have read a ...more

“They were just leftover pieces of a puzzle she couldn’t quite put together and she’d be stuck forever with the feeling that everything was very, very wrong.”
Seriously unlikable characters, but a fantastic twist.
Also Biscuit the dog is the hero in this book!
So, whilst reading this book I was leaning towards 3 stars. I hated everyone. Tasha - the girl who was found almost drowned in the river and was technically dead for 13 minutes - is absolutely insufferable.
Becca - Tasha’s ex best friend ...more
Seriously unlikable characters, but a fantastic twist.
Also Biscuit the dog is the hero in this book!
So, whilst reading this book I was leaning towards 3 stars. I hated everyone. Tasha - the girl who was found almost drowned in the river and was technically dead for 13 minutes - is absolutely insufferable.
Becca - Tasha’s ex best friend ...more

Although "13 Minutes" by Sarah Pinborough is marketed as YA I hope it reaches a much much wider audience. The story concerns itself with mainly four or five sixteen year old girls and just how nasty and horribly they treat each other .. Think "Mean Girls" mixed with a healthy dose of mystery woven expertly through the well written plot.
The title "13 Minutes" refers to a young girl Natasha, whose friends call her 'Tasha', who is found floating in a freezing river by a man walking his dog early o ...more
The title "13 Minutes" refers to a young girl Natasha, whose friends call her 'Tasha', who is found floating in a freezing river by a man walking his dog early o ...more

But whatever Becca said now might come back on her in bitchy subtweets and status updates and knowing looks. Words ran like barbed wire around the teenage community of this small town, ready to scratch and tear and snag you.
What struck me most about 13 Minutes was the dark, gritty, toxic reality of female friendships displayed here. Girls can be such bitches in high school (because that's the age we're talking here). They backstab without thinking (or better yet, not caring) of who they are ...more

I have very mixed feelings on this book. On the one hand, it was an intense, gripping thriller that kept me guessing from start to finish. On the other hand, I disliked every single character. They were nasty, cruel and I didn't care for them at all but I'm assuming that was mostly intentional, considering the book. There were also examples of homophobic and ableist language being used and the constant focus on weight, dieting etc was something I didn't enjoy in the slightest. Trivialising and d
...more

“Boys are dogs. Women are like cats. Individuals by nature. We are not pack animals.”
― Sarah Pinborough, 13 Minutes
This is.....quite a story.
I found this book when reading reviews of another. I had finished and reviewed the book "Little Monsters" and was reading other reviews and a few people mentioned this book and how the stories had things in common.
I liked this one over Little Monsters though. I mean..I enjoyed both but I ADORED this one.
So...what to say? So much! Half this review will be wi ...more
― Sarah Pinborough, 13 Minutes
This is.....quite a story.
I found this book when reading reviews of another. I had finished and reviewed the book "Little Monsters" and was reading other reviews and a few people mentioned this book and how the stories had things in common.
I liked this one over Little Monsters though. I mean..I enjoyed both but I ADORED this one.
So...what to say? So much! Half this review will be wi ...more

One morning a man is out walking his dog when the dog seems to see something to get him worked up so investigating further the man comes across a young girl in the icy water. When he sees the girl move a bit he jumps into action calling for help and jumping in to save her and perform CPR until the authorities arrive and take over.
After being revived Natasha has no memory of what landed her in the freezing water that morning that lead to her being dead for thirteen minutes. She really can't reme ...more
After being revived Natasha has no memory of what landed her in the freezing water that morning that lead to her being dead for thirteen minutes. She really can't reme ...more

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the publisher, Flatiron Books, via NetGalley for an honest review.
Opinion: *Sigh*…do you feel it guys? October is coming. Oooooh the leaves are beginning to fall; it's starting to smell like brisk air and dying trees! Girls are buying pumpkin spice lattes, and those lovely goths and wiccan’s are patiently waiting for Halloween. So here I am, giving the gift of words to put you in the mood of October…if you haven’t yet transitioned. A story with drownings, ...more
Opinion: *Sigh*…do you feel it guys? October is coming. Oooooh the leaves are beginning to fall; it's starting to smell like brisk air and dying trees! Girls are buying pumpkin spice lattes, and those lovely goths and wiccan’s are patiently waiting for Halloween. So here I am, giving the gift of words to put you in the mood of October…if you haven’t yet transitioned. A story with drownings, ...more

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
“What’s the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath?”
First things first for all of you who have been following along . . . . .
IT’S A MAJOR AWARD! I read the required five selections for the Winter Reading Challenge and since I have no ability to limit myself – especially when it comes to mysteries and thrillers, I have a whole bunch more checked out/on hold at the library.
13 Minutes came on my radar due to a comment m ...more
“What’s the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath?”
First things first for all of you who have been following along . . . . .

IT’S A MAJOR AWARD! I read the required five selections for the Winter Reading Challenge and since I have no ability to limit myself – especially when it comes to mysteries and thrillers, I have a whole bunch more checked out/on hold at the library.
13 Minutes came on my radar due to a comment m ...more

When they pull Natasha out of the river, she's been dead for thirteen minutes. Thirteen dark, cold minutes. It's amazing the teenager even lives; in fact, it's just pure luck that a man and his dog stumble upon her and pull her from the river's icy clutches. Tasha, as she's known, has no memory of how she wound up in the river, but she knows it wasn't intentional on her part. In fact, she's pretty sure two of her closest friends, Hayley and Jenny, had something to do with it. The two seemed weir
...more

Dec 03, 2017
Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition

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YA has lost its edge for me lately. There are only so many wallpaper fantasy novels and "first love" romance novels that I can handle before I start to feel like I've eaten too much Halloween candy. I used to read YA exclusively but lately I've mostly limited myself to romance novels and, of course, nonfiction.
But 13 MINUTES, with its unique premise, called to me. What if a girl died for 13 minutes, only to be brought back, and couldn't ...more

Thank you to Flatiron Books and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review.
Sarah Pinborough boasts two of my favorite things: she is a masterful writer and she's British. When I saw the opportunity to read 13 Minutes, her upcoming American release, I knew I had to have it. I enjoy reading YA contemporary romance from time to time, but never before had I read a YA crime novel. This book is top-notch with twists and turns I didn't see coming. It is Mean Girls on crack.
When an unsuspecting dog walke ...more
Sarah Pinborough boasts two of my favorite things: she is a masterful writer and she's British. When I saw the opportunity to read 13 Minutes, her upcoming American release, I knew I had to have it. I enjoy reading YA contemporary romance from time to time, but never before had I read a YA crime novel. This book is top-notch with twists and turns I didn't see coming. It is Mean Girls on crack.
When an unsuspecting dog walke ...more

Jun 15, 2016
Sarah Elizabeth
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
contemporary,
young-adult,
death,
mystery,
netgalley-edelweiss,
love-triangle,
read-with-abbie,
r2r-read,
read-2016,
as
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley.)
This was a YA mystery story, featuring a girl who’d been dead for 13 minutes, and then revived.
We had several important characters in this book, not least of all Natasha who was dragged from a river and dead for 13 minutes. It was quiet easy to feel sorry for Natasha, especially when it seemed like her friends might have been trying ...more
“I wish she’d died.”
This was a YA mystery story, featuring a girl who’d been dead for 13 minutes, and then revived.
We had several important characters in this book, not least of all Natasha who was dragged from a river and dead for 13 minutes. It was quiet easy to feel sorry for Natasha, especially when it seemed like her friends might have been trying ...more

Utterly addictive - I raced through it in two days. Can't wait to see the Netflix series.
...more

Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive. Sir Walter Scott
Is there anything more terrifying than the mind games of teenage girls? In her 2015 novel, Sarah Pinborough explores the inner psyche of a small group of girls who are linked by the almost drowning of their "Queen B. " I read this book, literally sitting on the edge of my seat dreading what was going to happen next. Ironically, I didn't like any of the characters but in a "whodunnit" it wasn't that necessary. Wh ...more
Is there anything more terrifying than the mind games of teenage girls? In her 2015 novel, Sarah Pinborough explores the inner psyche of a small group of girls who are linked by the almost drowning of their "Queen B. " I read this book, literally sitting on the edge of my seat dreading what was going to happen next. Ironically, I didn't like any of the characters but in a "whodunnit" it wasn't that necessary. Wh ...more

I kind of expected the twist at the end, yet it still surprised me. I had no idea what was going on 20% of the time, but damn this book is so good. (Original rating: 4 stars)
Update (March 4th 2017): A week after I finished this book, it's still bothering me a bit. Not because it leaves an impression that lingers, but because I feel like it's not as good as I first judged it to be. When I actually think about it, it left me with some questions, and the writing style was all over the place. So I'm ...more
Update (March 4th 2017): A week after I finished this book, it's still bothering me a bit. Not because it leaves an impression that lingers, but because I feel like it's not as good as I first judged it to be. When I actually think about it, it left me with some questions, and the writing style was all over the place. So I'm ...more

a very dark twisted story set around 3 popular girls at school. The 'love' the hate and the lies that follow these girls to the very doorstep of death and danger. The secrets they keep are set to self destruction. Trust no one.
...more

5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/10/02/...
No joke, I was left breathless and a little shaken after I finished this book, feeling like I had just stepped off the world’s scariest roller coaster. Being a fan of the author since her supernatural historical horror novel Mayhem, I knew full well her talent for writing thrills and dramatic suspense, but 13 Minutes was something else. This is Sarah Pinborough at her best.
The story told through the eyes of two teenagers, ...more
No joke, I was left breathless and a little shaken after I finished this book, feeling like I had just stepped off the world’s scariest roller coaster. Being a fan of the author since her supernatural historical horror novel Mayhem, I knew full well her talent for writing thrills and dramatic suspense, but 13 Minutes was something else. This is Sarah Pinborough at her best.
The story told through the eyes of two teenagers, ...more

As always these days, whenever Ophelia is mentioned I get intrigued straight away. It was no different from the gripping introduction we had here. It felt so whimsical and worked beautifully with the contrast when the sudden weight of reality that hit.
I ended up enjoying this story far more than I was expecting. It wasn't just teen mean girl drama; there was more to it. The story had depth and complex characters that had more layers to them than I would have expected. I appreciated the direction ...more
I ended up enjoying this story far more than I was expecting. It wasn't just teen mean girl drama; there was more to it. The story had depth and complex characters that had more layers to them than I would have expected. I appreciated the direction ...more

Reviewed on www.snazzybooks.com
I'm really impressed at just how much I enjoyed 13 Minutes. I'm not usually a big YA reader (although I have enjoyed various books from this genre in the past, I do tend to read adult fiction in general), but I do love a good thriller regardless of what age it's aimed at, and this novel was so gripping and intriguing that I just couldn't stop reading!
The writing is very engaging and really drew me in. As the novel is aimed at the YA market it is, at times, a littl ...more
I'm really impressed at just how much I enjoyed 13 Minutes. I'm not usually a big YA reader (although I have enjoyed various books from this genre in the past, I do tend to read adult fiction in general), but I do love a good thriller regardless of what age it's aimed at, and this novel was so gripping and intriguing that I just couldn't stop reading!
The writing is very engaging and really drew me in. As the novel is aimed at the YA market it is, at times, a littl ...more

Though I have never read Sarah Pinborough before, I have heard so much about her ability with language. In this book, I didn't notice it at all. And I mean that in the best possible way. I was so immersed in the story of this small group of girls; the words, tone, feelings were so perfectly them that the pages flashed before my eyes and all I saw was the characters.
13 Minutes may be a YA psychological thriller but there is so much truth in the relationships between people in the book that exten ...more


It's definitely one of the best books I've read this year. The main characters and their complex personalities are both terrifying and terrific because we all know people like that.
The plot is gripping, you won't be able to stop reading and when you think you know it all ,it's when you know nothing at all.
A must read for fans of YA lit and for those interested in an intensive course on deception.It won't disappoint you.
...more

Dang! Teenage girls can be so freaking mean. I received the ARC of 13 Minutes from Flatiron Books. I enjoyed it. It was intense. I didn't really like any of the characters. I felt sorry for all of them, but didn't really "connect" with them. It was a good book; worth reading, but not one of my favorites.
...more

May 28, 2018
booksnpenguins (lance orion approved)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Aside from the fact that I completely loved to loathe every single one of these characters (except Biscuit the Dog) and that I'd pimp slap myself for not expecting that ending, this was one heck of a good book!
I'll definitely read more from this author. ...more
I'll definitely read more from this author. ...more

I really liked this one. It was intense, it kept my attention and I couldn't wait to find out what is going on and who is the craziest of them all.
...more

Updated Review:
3.5 out of 5 Stars.
"We have secrets together now. We should at least be Facebook friends."
Pitched as "Mean Girls for the Instagram age," 13 Minutes centers on a group of truly heinous British teens that are simply too vindictive to function.
Long gone are the days of secret carbo loading and trying to make "fetch" happen.

Instead, we're introduced to the "Barbies" -- a trio of blonde BFFS -- that take maintaining the high school hierarchy to a drastic new level.
Told throu ...more
3.5 out of 5 Stars.
"We have secrets together now. We should at least be Facebook friends."
Pitched as "Mean Girls for the Instagram age," 13 Minutes centers on a group of truly heinous British teens that are simply too vindictive to function.
Long gone are the days of secret carbo loading and trying to make "fetch" happen.

Instead, we're introduced to the "Barbies" -- a trio of blonde BFFS -- that take maintaining the high school hierarchy to a drastic new level.
Told throu ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

Apr 04, 2019
Bill Kupersmith
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
the-secret-history
The best school story frenemies tragedy I’ve read since Dare Me. Tasha and Becca are beautifully depicted and contrasted and dialogue sparkles. Does for a English comp school what Abbott accomplished with an American high school.
Multiple POVs and narrators make this book confusing at first, but worth the effort.
Multiple POVs and narrators make this book confusing at first, but worth the effort.
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA Mystery/ Thriller. Unreliable narrative, multi pov. Girl and her best female friend (in high school) are trying to figure out who is trying to harm one of them. Read around early-mid 2000s. Spoilers ahead. [s] | 8 | 412 | May 24, 2022 06:39PM | |
Challenge Corner: 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough -> Starting July 7th, 2018 | 5 | 8 | Jul 31, 2018 02:11AM | |
Books Ever After: Readalong - 13 minuten - 20 t/m 30 januari | 41 | 76 | Jan 30, 2018 10:47AM | |
YA Buddy Readers'...: 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough - Starting June 22nd 2016 | 17 | 24 | Jun 22, 2016 07:46AM |
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Sarah Pinborough is a New York Times bestselling and Sunday Times Number one and Internationally bestselling author who is published in over 30 territories worldwide. Having published more than 25 novels across various genres, her recent books include Behind Her Eyes, now a smash hit Netflix limited series, Dead To Her, now in development with Amazon Studios, and 13 Minutes and The Death House in
...more
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—
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